William Shatner Faces Controversy Over AI-Generated Cover Art for His Latest Music Album

Raise the Shields, Captain Kirk!

William Shatner, the 93-year-old actor renowned for portraying Captain James T. Kirk in the original Star Trek series and films, faced backlash from fans on X (formerly Twitter) this week following the reveal of his latest music album cover, “Where Will the Animals Sleep.” Notably, he disclosed that the artwork was generated using AI.

On Sunday, Shatner shared an image of the album cover, showcasing a digital representation of him amidst a diverse group of children, elephants, and birds in a lush jungle environment, along with a link to purchase the album on Amazon.

“Didn’t actors and writers just strike against AI?” one user questioned, alluding to the 2023 SAG-AFTRA and Writers Guild of America strikes. “Artists are humans too who cherish their craft and don’t want AI taking over.”

Shatner fired back with a spirited response.

Another user chimed in, arguing that “all AI is trained on work the tech didn’t pay for, violating copyrights and trademarks.”

In response, Shatner challenged, “Could you please point out the copyright violations? If not, then [zipper mouth emoji].”

Visual artist Karla Ortiz, a plaintiff in a class-action lawsuit against AI art generator companies like Midjourney and Stable Diffusion, urged Shatner to better understand the copyright concerns surrounding generative AI.

Unfazed, Shatner defended his stance, asserting that many artists draw inspiration from and pay homage to others—echoing a common defense among AI art advocates.

“Let progress happen,” he stated in another reply.

Ultimately, he stood firm on his decision regarding the AI-created artwork for his album cover, declaring, “I’ve approved it and that’s all there is to it. The end. Move on.”

Shatner is part of a growing list of notable artists—from Kanye West to Madonna—as well as emerging indie creators like the filmmakers of Late Night With The Devil and the showrunner of the latest True Detective—utilizing AI visuals in their projects. He faces criticism similar to many artists who have used AI while neglecting to address the issue; however, unlike others who evade accountability, Shatner has shown a commendable eagerness to engage with his critics and remain steadfast in his position.

Though he may no longer play Captain Kirk, Shatner embodies Kirk’s tenacious spirit and a Star Trek-like enthusiasm for embracing new technology, likely making both the character and creator Gene Roddenberry proud.